Indecent Exposure
by Natsumi Wakabe
Summary: A cute moment with a family of elves, a little boy, and a lack of clothing.


_Disclaimer: Wakabe Writing Firm doesn't own Lord of the Rings._

_A/N: Natsumi's having trouble with humor. This is us trying to find it again, or at least give us cute things. Didn't completely work, but oh well. Wish us luck-Gabrielle (Avian Secretary, Wakabe Writing Firm)_

* * *

"Estel!"

The yell rang out through the halls, echoed by the delighted giggling of a little boy as he swiftly ran through from the privacy of his room to the empty hall outside. Small he may be, but he was easily able to avoid the eager and outstretched hands that pursued him and the fluffy towel that came flying after his bare and damp form.

"Estel, daro!"

The second voice came from inside the room he had escaped from, down the hall he ran through. Swift but whisper quiet feet began to close in on him as he veered from the warm and friendly family wing that now held much of his world. Though water still clung tightly to his hair and had not completely left his body, he was not chilled on that sunny and warm day in his home.

"Estel, you are not covered!"

The voice was trying to sound stern and commanding, but there was a hint of laughter and a fair amount of embarrassment in it. Estel giggled again, turning those giggles into a high pitched shriek of joy and surpise as a pair of hands suddenly swooped upon him from the side; a new adversary that he had not seen in his mad dash to freedom and sunshine, hidden by the wall that would have led him to the kitchens.

"Well, well, what have we here?" came the amused voice. Turning his head up, his stormy grey eyes lit up upon seeing who it was that had grabbed him. Estel took in a quick and big breathe and let it out in the form of a wordless cry of joy as he strained his arms toward the blond elf. The blond elf could not help but smile back at such innocence and happiness, and his own laughter comes forth as he tosses the babe up in the air, catching him as he comes back down. He brought Estel to him, and let the little one cling to his neck with his perfect tiny arms and blesses the Valar for giving to Imladris this child that has healed many old wounds and given light to those who had thought it lost for so long.

"Tithen pen, what are you doing without a shirt on?" Glorfindel asked as he eased the child away from his body a bit so as to look at him. The boy in question just smiled brightly at him, still not speaking even after months of being there. Just then, the twins finally came up, Elladan with a towel and Elrohir with a wet shirt and hair. Both were trying to keep their scowls on, but the twitches in the corners of their mouths spoke of smiles trying to force their way onto their faces.

"Did you lose something?" Glorfindel asks the Noldor elves innocently, his smile widening a bit as the child in his arms giggles again.

"Indeed we did," confessed Elrohir. "And I do believe that you have it."

"I?" questioned Glorfindel.

"Indeed, my lord," grinned Elladan. "You see, we lost a child, fresh from the bath, who seemed to think it funny to streak through the grand halls as naked as the day he was born."

"Surely you do not mean this little one here."

"But who else would we think?"

"Perhaps one of you two," came a new voice from the side.

"Ada!" Both twins turned to their father, who was looking at them with eyes filled with laughter and love. He then turned his gaze to the squirming child in Glorfindel's arms, who was reaching out toward him, eye lit with a happiness so bright and big, that Lord Elrond could not help but return a smile and pluck him from Glorfindel's hold.

"And what do you think you are doing little one?" Elrond asked his youngest, absently noting the roll of his Captain's eyes before he turned and headed down the stairs. "I thought that your brothers were supposed to bathe you before your afternoon nap."

"We were, ada."

"But we could not finish."

"Because Estel thought it would be funny to go naked through the halls."

"While his poor brothers were left to chase after him, least he scandalize anyone in the halls."

Giggling came from the small figure that had buried his head into his ada's shoulder, peaking out from the safety of those strong and healing arms.

"Do you find something funny, tithen gwador?" asked Elladan, one hand on his hip, the other waving the towel in his face, tickling his nose as it brushed against his face. And the child could not help but smile and laugh, and then gave voice to his first word ever spoken within those walls.

"Yes!"

Stunned and happily surprised by this first word, they all stared at the little boy. Something warm fluttered in Elrond's heart at this simple word, spoken by one so young that had been silent for too long. And like so many parents that hear the first word from their baby, he could not help but be overjoyed and excited, and begin to try to coax more from him.

"Is Elladan funny, tithen pen?"

"Yes," was the enthusiastic response, before more came, to the shock of the family. "Siwwy Dan!"

"The three elves could not help but laugh with the boy, as they made their way back to his room. As they left the open halls for the family suite, they left behind them a lightness and joy that had been lacking for too long in those halls, devoid of the sounds of laughter that now were so much more frequent and true. As Glorfindel continued on his way to the courtyard, he smiled as he listened to the happiness and joy of the family he had sworn to protect. He looked up at the sky, clear and bright blue, without any sign of the storm that was brewing. He shrugged, and went on his way. They were prepared for the storm, and it was better to enjoy what light there was before having to face the darkness to come.

* * *

_Hope you enjoyed._


End file.
